This invention relates to an apparatus for washing an endoscope.
The endoscope is usually washed in a washing tank in which it is set with its elongate inserting section in a spirally wound state, and washing liquid is sprayed under pressure from a rotating nozzle assembly to wash it. In order to be able to wash the endoscope efficiently, the nozzle assembly usually includes two nozzles, i.e., an upper nozzle which is located above the endoscope in the washing tank and a lower nozzle located below the endoscope. The upper nozzle has a small projecting length so that it will not be obstructive when setting the endoscope in a washing tank. A large projecting length, on the other hand, is provided for the lower nozzle, so that the washing liquid sprayed from both the nozzles can be evenly supplied over the entire endoscope. The provision of a large projecting length of the lower nozzle, however, requires a broad bottom space of the washing tank, in which the lower nozzle can be rotated during washing. In other words, the volume of the tank must be increased that much. This means that the quantity of a disinfectant solution which is supplied into the tank for sterilizing the endoscope must be increased that much. In addition, more time is required for supplying and recovering the solution.
If the projecting length of the lower nozzle is also reduced in order to alleviate the above inconveniences, the effect of washing the entire endoscope is greatly reduced. In particular, where a lightguide cable is set together with the inserting section of the endoscope in the same washing tank for washing, in which case the area in which the washing liquid supplied for washing is increased, effective washing of the entire endoscope cannot be obtained if both the upper and lower nozzles are reduced in projecting length.